Method of manufacturing wire



y 7, 1929- U J. F. HOWE METHOD OF MANUFACTURING WiRE Filed D60. 10,, 1926 mm 1m Invevzt fit'tmsses:

wire Patented May 7, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1 ,712,348 PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES FORREST HOWE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERI- CAN STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY OF NEW JERSEY.

JERSEY, lA CORPORATION OF NEW METHOD OF MANUFACTURING WIRE.

Application filed December 10, 1926. Serial No. 153,925.

This invention relates to thevnlamlfacture of wire, and more particularly to a novel method of drawing wire whereby a coating of a softer metal is applied to the wire during the drawing operation and providesan improved wire, while at the same time eliminates the necessity for using soap, oil or other lubricants heretofore used to lubricate the prior to passing through the reducing dies.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire having a la er of coating material on its surface where y additional coating may be readily deposited thereon by immersing the drawn wire in either a molten bath of coating material or an electrolytic bath.

Broadly, the method of this invention consistsin cleaning the rods or stock from which the wire is to be drawn in the usual manner,

then passing the wire stock to be drawn through a body of the coating metal, in powdered form, immediately prior to drawing the stock through the reducing dies so as to cause a quantity of the powdered metal to. be carried into the reducing dies and forced onto the surface of the drawn wire to form a coating, and act as a lubricant to prevent the wire from cutting out the die. Wire drawn as above described may be used as it comes from the dies or, if desired, it may be again coated with additional metal by immersing the drawn wire in a bath of molten coating metal or in an electrolytic bath as desired. This last step will provide a heavy coating, and such coating metal will be more readily deposited on the previously coated wire than on uncoated wire, and will adhere more tenacious ly than it will on uncoated wire,

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan of a portion of a wire drawmg bench showing a combined. lubricant box and die holder and a drawing block. 1

Figure 2 is an elevation of the mechanism of Figure 1.

In carrying out my invention, the lubricant container or box 2 is filled with a powdered metal 3 softer than the stockfrom which the wire is to be drawn, such as zinc, brass, copper, tin, etc.

The stock 10 to be drawn (generally fer- I rous metal rods) is first cleaned by any of the usual methods commonl employed. The cleaned stock is then polnted in the usual manner and passed through the box 2 and inserted through the die tin the die holder 5. The stockis then drawn through the die 4 and wrapped on the block 6 as in the usual practice. As the stock is drawn'through thedie it is compelled to pass through the powderedmctal 3. and so picks up and carries a quantity of this metal into the die -where it is ground and forced into the surface of I the drawn wire as the wire passes through the die forming a coating thereon. The soft metal 3 also serves as a lubricant and prevents the cutting out of the die=and, there fore, eliminates the necessity of using soaps or other lubricants ordinarily used when drawing wire.

By using this method with other than ferrous metal wire, various combinations of finishes maybe had, and also by mixing the coating metals various finishes may be had.

The wireproducedby this method is particularly adapted to receive additional "coatings of the same or other metal by either the usual hot methods or by. electro-deposition of metal. In either of the above instances,

the wire which has been previously coated by drawing, as described above, is immersed 1n a molten or electrolytic bath as the case may be, and a heavier and more tenaclous coating is applied in less time than when uncoated wire is used.

, Wire drawn with a powdered metal lubricant to form a coating, as' above described, may be used without further coating for the manufacture of rope, or other articles and, due to its coating, will be protected against the elements. Also such Wire will have a better and smoother finish than wire drawn in the usual manner.

It' will be understood that do not wish to be limited to the apparatus shown, or to the exact sequence of steps described, since various modifications may be used without departing from the scope of my invention as defined inthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. In the manufacture of wire, the step consisting of simultaneously coating and drawing the wire by drawing the stock through a body of dry metallic powder immediately prior to the entering of the wire into v the reducing die so that a quantity of said powder will. be drawn into the die with the stock and forced to adhere to the surface of the drawn wire.

2. In the manufacture of wire, the steps consisting of simultaneously forming a metallic coating 'on and drawing the wire by substituting a dry metallic powder for'the usual lubricants applied to the stock prior to passing the stoc through the reducing dies, and drawing saidstock through a body of said dry metallic powder immediately prior to the entering of the wire into the drawing die so that a quantity of said powder will be drawn into the die with the stock and forced to adhere to the surface of the drawn wire.

3. In the manufacture of wire, the steps consisting of simultaneously forming a metallic coating on and drawing the wire by substituting a dry metallic powder for the usual lubricants applied to the stock prior to passing the stock through the reducing dies, said dry metallic powder being composed of a finely divided metal softer than the metal from which the stock is formed, and then drawing said stock through a body of said dry metallic powder immediately prior to the entering of the wire into the drawing die so that a quantity of said powder will be drawn into the die with the stock and forced to adhere tothe surface of the drawn wire.

4. The method ofcoatin ferrous metal wire with other metals, w ich consists in simultaneously coating and drawing the wire by drawing the stock through a body of dry metallic powder immediately prior to the entering of the wire into the reducing dieso that a quantity of said powder will'bedrawn into the die with the stock. and forced to adhere to the surface of the drawn wire, and then depositing a further coating metal on said drawn and coated wire by immersing said drawn and coated wire in a bath of the coating metal in the usual manner of coating uncoated wire.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

I JAMES FORREST HOWE. 

